Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMarch 12, 2018

Former Circuit Court Judge Robert Doyel upped his commitment and his state Senate campaign fund in February, in his Democratic bid to unseat Republican state Sen. Kelli Stargel in Senate District 22. Doyel, of Winter Haven, a retired judge from Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit, reported donating $5,000 to his campaign, helping it bring in $17,677 in […]

Scott PowersJanuary 16, 2018

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has sent out letters to county, city and housing authority officials throughout Central Florida seeking information on affordable housing shortages. The letter, from DEO Director of Community Development Julie Dennis, is exploring available resources and unmet needs that are being tested as a result of both the damages caused […]

Scott PowersDecember 27, 2017

Construction has begun of three Wekiva Parkway bridges over the Wekiva River, drawing on complex engineering and construction that were critical in winning over approval from much of the environmental and conservation community for the overall 25-mile tolled expressway, the Florida Department of Transportation announced. The bridges, carrying the expressway and two non-tolled, one-lane service […]

Scott PowersSeptember 19, 2017

The massive power outage Hurricane Irma left behind last week with more than 6.5 million homes and businesses is down to a handful of pockets outside the still heavily-darkened Monroe, Collier and Lee counties that were hardest hit by the storm. The latest data provided by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, showing power through […]

Scott PowersSeptember 14, 2017

Heat may be rising among the millions of Floridians still without power, as 2.3 million homes and businesses head toward finishing a fourth full day without. The latest data from the Florida Office of Emergency Management show 22 percent of the state still was sweating out power outages at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, on what has […]

Scott PowersSeptember 13, 2017

Wednesday hundreds of thousands of Florida power customers got their lights turned back on but almost exactly one third of Florida is still waiting. The latest numbers from the Florida Office of Emergency management show 3.5 million customers still were without power at 3 p.m. Wednesday, representing 33.4 percent of all Florida homes and businesses. […]

Scott PowersSeptember 13, 2017

Five Central Florida members of Congress – three Democrats and two Republicans – joined a call Wednesday for Central Florida counties to be designated so that individuals can become eligible for Federal Disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Irma. U.S. Reps. Darren Soto and Val Demings of Orlando, Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Dennis […]

Scott PowersSeptember 11, 2017

Central Florida is mainly dealing with power outages throughout, with more than 1.1 million residences and businesses reported without electricity Monday, a situation that also plagues traffic lights and other services. With an estimated 372,000 residences and businesses without power and counting countywide, Orange County’s curfew remains in effect through 6 p.m. Monday. The Orange […]

Joe HendersonApril 10, 2017

A story in Sunday’s Washington Post focused on a new strategy that is being put in play by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the fight against drug abuse. It sounds like a return to the old strategy that was discarded because it was costly and largely ineffective, but the current administration likes to play hardball […]

Larry GriffinNovember 17, 2016

The Orlando Political Observer, a local political news site, has changed hands — now it’s owned Doug Kaplan, a Winter Park-based pollster and president of market research firm Gravis Marketing. Kaplan purchased the Orlando Political Observer from founder Frank Torres, according to a story on the site written by Torres himself. Kaplan assured readers in the OPO story […]

Tag: Lake County

Robert Doyel’s self-donation pushes February contributions to $17K in SD 22 race

Economic Opportunity surveying Central Florida housing needs

Wekiva Parkway wildlife bridges over Wekiva River begun

Power restored except South, Southwest, Central Florida pockets

Power update: 2.3 million homes and businesses still without

Nearly half-million customers get power; one-third of Florida waits

Central Florida congressional members seek disaster call for Central Florida

372,000 customers without power in Orange County, 1.1 million in Central Florida

Joe Henderson: Newest strategy in war on drugs could look a lot like the old strategy

Orlando Political Observer purchased by Doug Kaplan-led group